Japan and the Philippines conduct historic first naval exercises
Japan, which has been at war with Russia for years due to the dispute over the Kuril Islands, conducted its first naval exercises with the Philippine fleet. Which ships participated?
As reported in the official communications of both forces (although Japan formally does not have an army but Self-Defense Forces), these are the first joint exercises, the result of a defence cooperation treaty signed at the beginning of July this year. The ships from Japan and the Philippines appeared in the West Philippine Sea. Among them were the Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami and the Philippine missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal.
Ships of Japan and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea
JS Sazanami is a Takanami-class destroyer that entered service in 2005. The Japanese ship measures over 492 feet long and almost 36 feet tall. It can reach up to 30 knots (about 56 km/h). It is equipped not only with numerous sonars and radars but also with electronic warfare systems and decoys. It also has an impressive arsenal.
Aboard JS Sazanami is, among other things, 20 mm calibre machine guns, naval cannons, torpedo launchers, and missile launchers. Additionally, JS Sazanami has a built-in hangar and helipad for helicopters. The Japanese often use SH-60J helicopters on this ship, designed for anti-submarine warfare.
The Philippine missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal is one of the leading ships in the country's fleet. It was built in South Korea and entered service in 2019. It measures 351 feet in length and has a crew of about 110 people. It is also heavily armed and has space for a helicopter, the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat.
According to the information disclosed, the exercises included, among other things, communication and tactics drills. They were meant to express the tightening cooperation between the two countries and to respond to China's activities in the region.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines stated, "This activity was part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realising a free and open Indo-Pacific."
